Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The nun's smile stretched across her face, but to me, it felt like a devil's grin. There was something unsettling about her—like she was calculating every breath I took. I had no idea how she was here, but in the game, she'd always been stationed in the office as the supervisor of this lab. Back then, she was just a minor villain, a background character meant to torment weaker players. But now, in reality, I could feel her power. It was overwhelming.

Blondie sat beside me, his wide eyes flickering between her and the space around us. He hadn't noticed my discomfort—or maybe he just didn't care—while his mind seemed preoccupied with thoughts of her beauty. I could see the dazed look on his face as if he'd stepped into some fantasy world where fairy-tale characters existed.

"Beautiful…" he murmured under his breath, his voice barely above a whisper.

I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my seat as if trying to escape the tension. "Really?" I muttered, though not loud enough for him to hear. "Beautiful?"

Blondie quickly turned his head, his face flush with embarrassment. "Sorry! I didn't mean—"

I cut him off with a dismissive wave. "Relax" I said with a sigh. "

The nun's voice broke through the awkward silence. "You two were early," she said warmly. "Please, sit down. Others will join us shortly once the hour starts."

We complied, finding seats and mimicking her gestures—hands clasped together, heads tilted slightly down as if in solemn prayer. Blondie followed along like a puppy, while I kept my composure, careful not to slip. My mind, however, was elsewhere.

I got lost in thought about the game again. Just my usual habit of overthinking.

The room was silent except for the faint murmurs of other test subjects beginning to join in the prayer. I couldn't focus. My legs were freezing and numb from sitting so still for so long. I cursed under my breath. Ah, I made a mistake agreeing to come here early with Blondie.

"Blondie," I muttered, testing the sound of the word in my head. "Ah, I still don't know his name…" I realized, though it was no use. Names were banned here. Everyone used assigned numbers. It was harder to remember and they can't blame me for that.

Maybe I should have chosen a different approach to passing time. Like standing. Or walking. Or— anything else but I doubt that nun would let me. She might be a minor villan but currently I was no better. Weak body and having no much power to do anything.

So, I thought of my status. It's been a while since I opened it. I think I should work on unlocking those attributes after the prayer.

....

[System Activation: 40%]

Current Status:

Name: Alex Summers

Age: 10

Gender: Male

Species: Half-Human/[Classified]

State - Normal

Strength: 0 [+0.9]

Intelligence: [Locked]

Unlock Criteria: Learn how to read and write

Charm: [Locked]

Unlock Criteria: Make someone willingly call you good-looking

Agility: [Locked]

Unlock Criteria: Run 1 km

Mana: [Locked]

Unlock Criteria: Awakening…more

Skills:

[Resilience]

Grade: S

Description: Can withstand pain or trauma with reduced impact.

[Bite]

Grade: E

Description: A skill gained after an aggressive bite. Increases strength temporarily. (Note: Painful and effective.)

.....

I sighed, mentally checking the list again. Unlocking intelligence seemed like a good place to start. But first, I needed to learn how to read and write in this world's language. The thought alone made my head throb.

Blondie's voice whispered to me again, breaking my reverie. "Do you think this is going to take long?" he asked, his tone innocent but slightly anxious.

"I don't know," I answered honestly, pushing my damp hair away from my face. "I just hope I don't freeze to death while waiting. And dont act soo innocent it was you who was soo excited and came here while also dragging me along even before the prayer starts."

"Hehe...." he chuckled sheepishly

Just as the thought crossed my mind, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. It was steady, rhythmic, and growing louder with every second. I straightened up, tension snapping me out of my mental escape.

Blondie jumped slightly beside me. "What's that?" he whispered, eyes wide.

"It's just the others," I said with a shrug, trying to keep calm. "9 AM. Prayer's starting."

The room began to fill with the hushed whispers of test subjects, their faces solemn as they entered. The nun's serene demeanor never wavered, but I could feel the weight of her control tightening around us. 'What a bitch' I thought.

Blondie's breath quickened beside me, but he forced himself to sit still, though his hands trembled slightly in his lap.

I don't know why be is behaving like that as I havnt seen him see nervous. Is he afraid of crowed places. I thought.

I couldn't afford to let my guard down, even in moments like this.

As the first rays of morning light filtered through the windows, the official prayer began, drowning out all other thoughts. But for me, the battle wasn't just against the words whispered here.

Anyway i dont know what they are whispering at all. What would you expect from an atheist. I just pressed my hands together and acted like a professional actor.

Looking like a devoted believer.

I think I have talent in acting.....